NATO logo in front of the headquarters in Brussels. File photoBELGRADE, Feb. 20 Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told the Tanjug news agency that this year he expects an attempt to admit the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo into NATO in order to force all EU member states to recognize its independence. Kosovo Albanian authorities February 17 solemnly celebrated another anniversary of the unilateral independence proclaimed in 2008 with a parade of police and paramilitary Kosovo Security Forces (KSF).
"I expect that in six months someone will come up with the idea of accepting Kosovo into NATO and thereby forcing these four countries (Greece, Slovakia, Romania, Spain) to recognize the independence of Kosovo, and thus present us with a fait accompli. Even if this happens, our answer will be — well, you admitted, but we don’t", Vucic said.
The self-proclaimed Kosovo, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1244, does not have its own army. The authorities in Pristina, with material support from NATO, are modernizing and training lightly armed SFKs with the aim of transforming them into full-fledged armed forces, which causes protests from the Serbian authorities. The SFK law, approved in December 2018, provides for a personnel of 5,000 fighters, it is expected that the personnel of the security forces will increase to 4,800 in 2022.
Vučić called Scholz's statement about the bombing of Yugoslavia superficial. SBK Deputy Minister Agim Ceku said in November 2018 that the newly created army of the self-proclaimed republic would have its own artillery, air defense, biological and chemical protection, «but only for defense.» The self-proclaimed republic sent a contingent in March last year SBC on its first international mission with US forces in Kuwait. In May and June 2021, the Kosovo security forces participated for the first time in the NATO Defender Europe 21 military exercises in the territory of the province, Albania and Croatia. then consisting of Serbia and Montenegro) by NATO forces. In March 2004, Kosovo Albanians staged pogroms, which led to the mass resettlement of Serbs from the region and the destruction of numerous monuments of their history and culture. Kosovo-Albanian structures in Pristina on February 17, 2008 unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The self-proclaimed republic is not recognized by Serbia, Russia, China, Iran, Spain, Greece and a number of other states. , said VucicPublished: Nikita Stoma